


Invasive Species

by cyevi



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Aussie lingo, BVDN, F/M, Human AU, One Shot, tpth
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:20:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,257
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23898910
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cyevi/pseuds/cyevi
Summary: Vegeta is an Australian guide to the Outback, a place covered with invasive Opuntiodeae. Bulma just happens to be seeking things covered in spikes that are hard to get close to.
Relationships: Bulma Briefs/Vegeta
Comments: 3
Kudos: 20
Collections: Bulma and Vegeta Drabble Night





	Invasive Species

**Author's Note:**

> My submission for The Prince and The Heiress April BVDN! The theme was "Emo" and the prompts were super fun to use. Thank you to rockykelboa for hosting, BianWW for the cover art, and everyone who participated!

**Prompt: Spikes**

The horizon bled into the sky of the setting sun. Across the open, dry land, scraggly brush and large rocks glowed hot orange from the oppressive heat of the day. But the air, as dense as the heat had been, finally welcomed a steady, cooling breeze. Bulma removed her wide-brimmed hat and used it to fan her neck. With a tired huff, she dropped her backpack onto the ground a few feet away from the fire pit that began to glow and plopped to the ground. She turned, rummaged through her pack and retrieved her latest cactus sample covered in spikes.

“Those bloody things are a bane on this land.”

Bulma tried, for the fifth time today, to ignore the brooding, muscular man.

**Prompt: Scream**

“Throw that rubbish into the fire. It'll get things going faster.”

“Buzz off you … you bogan,” Bulma shot back poorly. Her familiarity with the lingo in the Down Under was limited to her occasional bingeing on imported shows she grabbed off the satellite. She bent at the waist, dropping her shoulders to get a closer look at her specimen. As she did, the top of her blouse dipped below the top of her bra and showed off a bit of sweaty, plump cleavage.

The man snorted and poked at the crackling fire.

“Oh my GOD. WHAT?” Bulma screamed. His attitude was more abrasive than the sand riding up her shorts.

“Neva' knew a horticulturist could be a mad rooter.”

**Prompt: Black**

When he saw the woman grit her teeth, he knew she didn't understand his insult, but was desperately trying to pretend that she did. Unusual bird. Hadn't stopped yabbering all day about those damned prickly pears and now, when he finally decided to give in and chat, she wormed away from the opportunity.

Vegeta tossed a few small branches onto the fire to get it going well enough for a pot. The Sheila had paid more than well enough for his services to take her into the wildest parts of the Outback, so he really shouldn't complain. Besides, the Alice Springs nights really were the best place to study the stars, so he waited for the absolute blackness the night would bring.

**Prompt: Confession**

Bulma carefully put the Opuntioid back into the sample container and leaned against her pack. She watched her trail guide grab branches the width of her wrist and casually snap them across his knee. Rather, she confessed to herself that she was really watching his impressive biceps flex in the firelight. Bulma licked her lips.

“Drink.” Vegeta tossed his canteen across the fire. It landed with a frump in the sand beside her, shooting more of the itchy crap up her shorts.

Bulma unscrewed the cap and tilted the bottle against her lips, raising her chin. She took several long, deep gulps. A lone drip of water slid over her chin and Vegeta watched it make a trail of light down her throat.

**Prompt: Insecurity**

Vegeta's meditation on how slowly water travels along the curves of the human body was loudly interrupted as the woman jerked his canteen away with a loud, obnoxious sigh that slid into a moan as her breath finished.

“Bugger me, Woman. I 'aven't heard a groan like that since the last time I watched a pair of dingos root.” He set a pan on the fire with some bits of meat, and studied her blue eyes. She was thinking. Trying to figure him out again. Her insecurity with the chit chat was cute. In the firelight, he watched the edges of her cheeks blush in frustration.

She stretched and shook out the bun that had been trapped under her hat all day. Cascades of blue tresses rippled over her shoulders, framing her ample chest.

**Prompt: Break-up**

She was staring at him. Examining him with a stillness that began to unnerve his senses. He locked eyes with her and waited. Darkness had covered the sky and in an hour, the ambient heat of the sand would dull. In the firelight, the woman's pale skin shone with the last remnants of sweat.

Breaking the moment, she tilted her head in consideration and looked down at the fire.

“What's for dinner?” A pleasant question asked with all the sweetness of a shot of vinegar.

“Cheerios.” He used a small stick to break up the sausages in the pan.

Before she could speak, an irascible, wet [growl](https://wildambience.com/wildlife-sounds/common-brushtail-possum/) came from the dark. She jumped so quickly away from her pack that a wave of sand kicked across the fire into his face.

**Prompt: Makeup**

“Oy! Now what ya stunned mullet?!” Vegeta smacked at his face, brushing the sand off his lips.

Bulma ran behind him and gripped his shoulders, ducking her body out of sight. A second little growl pierced the evening air. Vegeta smirked.

“Ah don' worry. It's just a night critter,” he paused and shuffled the sausages in the pan once more. “They won't eat your toes unless they're right starvin'.”

“What?! You're making that up!” Bulma screeched and dug her nails into his shirt. “What IS that??”

Vegeta stabbed a sausage with the stick, flinging it across the fire into the dark bush outside the range of the light. Within seconds, they could both hear the meat stick being quietly gobbled by the beastie.

**Prompt: Fishnet**

Bulma shrieked and dropped behind her trail guide, wrapping her arms around his chest like the fishnet tights she wore decades ago. His body was cut like stone and offered no level of soft comfort. His chest expanded slightly for a breath causing her fingers brushed against his rising pecs beneath the heavy canvas shirt he had worn.

“It's just a possum,” her guide said in a slow, rough voice. Radically different from moments before, his tone shifted, and tightened. He stopped fussing with the fire and rested his elbows on his knees.

In the darkness, the little animal skittered away and left them alone with a crackling fire and a clear night sky. She felt his back flex and surmised he was looking up.

**Prompt: Skateboard**

“But,” he started, taking a steady breath, “you can stay back there for a bit longer if you want.”

The heat from the sand had finally faded, but Bulma's cheeks flushed with warmth. Understanding flooded her veins as it pulsed from her breath, through her chest, and into her deepest core. She bit her lip and decided to stay. For just a bit longer. Take it slow with this one and try not to slam into a hard fall.

She relaxed her grip, but kept her arms around him. A hard button brushed against her fingertips. Absently, she loosened it while listening to the fire transform the wood into ribbons of light. His breath hitched.

So she loosened another.

**Prompt: Myspace**

A dozen slow breaths later, she had untucked his shirt and slipped her fingers along the soft tank top that separated her skin from his. He studied the stars for a moment, desperately trying to keep his breathing steady as her fingers edged his lower abs, dipping down toward his waistline.

When she tugged at his tank enough for her fingertips to glide along the lower skin of his taut belly, he swallowed a breath.

“Easy on,” he rumbled from his throat and slipped his hands over hers, intertwining his fingers with hers to halt the advance. _Fuck my space. So soft._

“Easy off,” she punned and unsnapped the closure to his pants. “Now, let's talk about roots.”

**Author's Note:**

> I posted the link to this story on my Tumblr, as usual. I always give my stories a little image to go along with them. And I have to say, I think I found the absolute [best photograph of Vegeta and Bulma e.v.e.r.](https://cyevi.tumblr.com/post/616677488314171392/invasive-species-cyevi-dragon-ball-archive-of)  
> \---  
> I love Vegeta, but why not give him an accent? (From my perspective anyway, a speaker of American English.) I had the pleasure of visiting Australia years ago. The people are so incredibly kind and their lingo is just so catchy. And in a human AU, I can totally picture Vegeta being comfortable with some of this slang. I am obviously not an expert on any of this, but I had fun looking into Aussie word guides. Here are a few of the terms used in the story:  
> \---  
> "mad rooter" - someone who really enjoys sex  
> "Sheila" - slang for woman  
> "bugger me" - "I'm surprised"  
> "root" - to have sex  
> "Cheerios" - sausages made of questionable contents  
> "stunned mullet" - a shocked person  
> \---  
> Finally, if you want to be totally horrified by an animal sound, listen to [Koalas](https://wildambience.com/wildlife-sounds/koala/). I would have loved to used the furry goons instead of a tiny possum, but they don't live out in Alice Springs.


End file.
